Otto's Small Shop

I started making new cat houses before our cat passed away. It took some time to get back to them and do the finishing touches but they're done and ready for homes. I'm going to try to sell them locally on the marketplace and see what happens.

Solid white oak no hardware, all hidden tenons.

With the wife out of town this week I started on a new coffee table until I realized it was the perfect time to repaint the bathroom. Today I was able to finish the table, like the blanket chest I'll wait to finish it until we have an updated color theme for the house.

The aromatic cedar smells good inside the blanket chest. We are going to wait until the rest of the bedroom is done and then finish all the pieces at once. Much to do.

I have a few small projects going. A blanket chest for the bedroom and a few cat boxes I'm going to test the market with.

The real pickle is my planer is burning through belts and that is one of my more critical machines. I'm diagnosing and narrowing down the issues. I'm down to the helix head and the belt. I'll need to spend the day removing the new head and making sure my install wasn't the problem. Ugh 😞

Getting closer. Ceruse style finish in black and red.

Using some scraps to try out a new finish. I was planning on going white and black but I'm kind of loving the colors. Maybe on a different project 🤔

When it takes too long to clean up a warped board on the jointer an extended table saw fence works well.

My new to me jointer all cleaned up and ready for some lumber. I'll swap out the head to a helical head once I know for sure this one is going to be a keeper.

I've been thinking about building a blanket chests I hope I got enough wood.

How many hours did it take you? That's usually the first question people ask when I show them what I've been working on, but I didn't keep track, all I know is it's more than most would guess.

The bar height counter and backsplash is next on the list.. and probably a pantry door, lol.

I've lost count of how many times I have lugged this beast into the kitchen to scribe, check and recheck my lines. Next up is to decide on the edge profile, another day of sanding and I can finally start the finish process... When it's a little warmer in the garage, it's -5°F outside today, not as cold in the shop but not warm enough to do a proper job.

Getting closer. A lot of hours sanding and plenty more to go but making progress again.

The countertop process is slowly taking shape. It's going to be fun to see how much sawdust comes from this one.

Brought home the kitchen island countertop today. Some assembly required.

Back to making some progress.

I was really hoping to finish the kitchen before the trip but the rest and relaxation was needed.

Excited to get the hardware in place.

The concrete countertops are done.

We used the Z Crete system from concrete countertop solutions. I have mixed feelings about the process. The front forms, mesh and clips are great. The rear forms, sink and faucet molds not so much. With the rear forms in place you only have 1/16" to screed, not near enough space to work with, leveling was a major pain. The sink form isn't capable with a workstation sink, so I ended up making my own. I also made my own faucet mold out of a caulk tube and a large dowel. The concrete additives never looked like the instruction videos, ours was way drier which added to the difficulty mixing and leveling.

After staining we used SealCoat sealer both on the counters and in the sink. Time will tell on the counters but the sink feels and drains amazing.

If I were to do it again I would buy the clips, mesh and possibly the molds but use my own concrete mix adding glass fibers and flow control.

Still to do. Drawer fronts, island countertop and backsplash... Slowly getting there.

It's hard to walk away and let it dry before continuing. When it dries we can assess the look and add more color if needed.

The small section in front goes on the other side of the stove, it was simply easier to move it for staining.

I spent about four hours grinding and polishing the counter this morning. Now it's time for a nap while it dries so we can see how it turned out.

The kitchen is up and running again, this weekend I should be able to grind and polish it before we stain and seal.
..doors and drawers fronts, backsplash, platform to raise the stove and an island countertop to go. Making progress?

Concrete countertops sound cool and should look good when done but I don't think I'll ever make another one.

It might be close to 100° in the garage today but I was able to make some progress.

Time for a beer and a shower.

Track saws are great for breaking down sheet stock but when you only have 55" tracks and don't want to join them or pay the high price for a longer track you find another way.

I like using a straight edge to help maintain the proper distance over longer stretches. Cut half way through. Slide the track keeping it tight against the straight edge and finish the cut.

Luxury vinyl tiles. The thickness meant I had to remove the 3/8 subflooring so the height between flooring wasn't so big and so I also got to change the kick plate height.

Install was a major pain, nowhere as easy as a traditional locking laminated flooring but that probably due to its waterproofing ability.

With the sink temporarily in place while I continue to prep the rest of the project it's allowing us to try something new.

I offset the faucet which allows for it to swing to the future counter and easy fill of pots or kettles and stays out of the way for a drop drying rack.

Ripping out the 3/8" subfloor is a PIA but to account for the height of the new flooring it has to be done.

There are a few pivotal points to a kitchen remodel. Removing the sink is a huge point where the clock starts clicking.

Less productive day than I hoped. But learned a good lesson, make sure the valves are turned off before turning the water back on. It took some time to dry the kitchen.

One of my local cabinet shops recently upgraded their dust collection. The two black bins are 30 yard dust bins, when I put my hand on it I could feel the air moving through it. I'm impressed 👍.